Call before you dig to replace damaged trees

Hundreds of trees were toppled across Iowa in last weekend’s severe storms, which included two tornadoes. If you already have the limbs and debris cleared and want to plant new trees, remember to call 8-1-1 before digging.

Bob McKeon, with Black Hills Energy, says it’s just common sense to call Iowa One Call — and it’s the law. “No matter what work you’re doing in your yard, if you’re disturbing the surface of the ground, you are supposed to call for a line locate,” McKeon says.

“You call two days in advance and that’s enough time. It is free. There’s no charge to it and then you can dig safely.” By calling 8-1-1, all underground utilities will be notified and they will mark the underground lines with spray paint or flags.

This includes natural gas, water, phone, cable and electric lines. McKeon says disturbing an underground utility can cause costly damage and can result in a severe or fatal injury.

“It really comes down to a safety issue,” he says. “If someone does hit an underground utility, you do risk damaging that utility infrastructure which could result in a service interruption to your home or possibly to the surrounding area.” It could also result in a significant fine.